Clean Monday

Carnival in Greece and Cyprus rimes with  celebration - a chance to escape everyday routine and enter a world of party, fantasy, high jinks and 'kefi' - high spirits - a feast of dance, wine and meat before the fasting of Lent  Karnavali or Apokries ( the carnival) started in ancient Greece and was believed to be an act of worship for Dionysos, the God of Wine and Feast.  In the Greek Orthodox tradition, Apokries is the preparation period before Lent. Apokries means literally saying goodbye to meat ...Apohi apo kreas -  apo-kreas.  The English word Carnival derived from Latin and has the same meaning : " carne'' =meat and  "vale"  - goodbye. Apokries runs for 3 weeks preceding the First Day of Lent, which is today. The Greek Orthodox observe 40 days to Easter Day - called "sarakosti". Hence the wish all the Greeks exchange this festive weekend : "Kali Saracosti" (Happy Lent)

Today  is   'Kathara Deftera' (Green or Clean Monday) also called "Ta Koulouma"  It marks the end of Apokries (Carnival) and  the first day of Lent  So for many people fasting starts today for the next 40 days up to Easter Day on April 28th. Traditionally  no meat, eggs or dairy products  are consumed. I only avoid meat during this time of year and fast during the Holy Week. Green Monday is a Bank Holiday in Greece and Cyprus and is also seen as the start of springtime. It is celebrated with kite flying and an outing to the countryside, the beach or the mountains where the Greeks enjoy a Lenten picnic consisting of all sorts of vegetables, pulses and greens, seafood such as grilled octopus, cuttlefish, prawns, mussels and calamari and the traditional "lagana", a special kind of bread for Clean Monday.

Lagana is our traditional Green Monday Bread.

All sorts of greens and vegetables are included in Green Monday's Lunch

Fasolada

INGREDIENTS

500 grams white dried beans, soaked overnight
1/2 cup olive oil.
2 cups chopped onions.
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional.)
1 large carrot, chopped.
2 stalks celery including the leaves, chopped.
1 (6 oz.) can tomato puree.
3 quarts water.
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley.
Salt and pepper to taste.


1. Sauté the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery in olive oil until limp. Add the tomato puree and the water. Bring to a boil. Drain the beans and add them. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 2 hours, or until beans are tender. Add the parsley 15 minutes before removing from the heat.

2. You may add peeled and cubed potatoes too about 1/2 an hour before you want to serve it. This simmers away all day on the stove on a really low heat and the smell is amazing.

3. Fasolada is a very popular bean soup in Greece. It is usually eaten with feta cheese and crusty bread and is a real comfort food. It's a good, hearty soup and certainly fills you up!
The Best Traditional Recipes of Greek Cooking (Editions Haitalis)

 

Taramosalata

Taramosalata - Fish-Roe Salad

for 5-6 servings
Ingredients
1 kilo (2 lbs 4 oz) peeled potatoes
300 gr fish-roe
1/2 teacup olive oil
the juice of two lemons
1 small onion finely chopped or grated
a few black olives (optional)
Directions
1. Boil and drain the potatoes.
2. When they are cold enough to handle peel them and mash them in the food processor.
3. While the food processor is working add the fish-roe,the grated onion and blend the ingredients for about 10 minutes gradually adding the olive oil and lemon juice altarnatively.
4. Decorate with some black olives, if you like,  and serve the taramolasalata as a dip with starters and hot pita bread or lagana.
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King Prawns in Olive Oil and Lemon Juice Sauce
Ingredients

• 8 king prawns
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• fresh lemon juice to taste
• black and white sea salt to taste
• pink pepper

Some black and white sea salt will give a very special flavour to fresh king prawns.

King Prawns

Directions

• Boil the king prawns in salted water till they turn pink.
• Keep boiling over low heat for 5 minutes.
• In a shaker mix the olive oil and the lemon juice with some freshly ground pink pepper.
• Peel the prawns while still warm and serve with the olive oil and lemon juice sauce.

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Briam - Baked Vegetables in Olive Oil and Tomato Sauce

Briam - Baked Vegetables in Olive Oil and Tomato Sauce. I forgot to add the carrots today!!!

Ingredients

• 4 aubergines / eggplants cut into medium-sized pieces
• 4 courgettes / zucchini cut into medium-sized pieces
• 4 carrots cut into medium-sized pieces
• 2 onions cut into thick pieces
• 2 red peppers cut into pieces
• 2 yellow or orange peppers cut into pieces
• 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
• 4 tbs tomato sauce
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbs fresh mint finely chopped
• 2 tbs parsley finely chopped
• 2 tbs basil finely chopped
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup water
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• some oregano

Directions

• Place all the vegetables in a deep ovenproof dish with a cover. Add the parsley, basil, mint, tomato sauce, olive oil and water..
• Mix all the ingredients well.
• Add  salt and pepper and some oregano and mix again.
• Cover the dish for the first 30 minutes and bake in pre-heated, moderate oven - 180*C / 350*F for about 45 minutes.
• Serve slightly warm.  

Note: If you wish, you can add potatoes cut into medium-sized pieces.
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Kantaifi Soropiasto

Kantaifi in Syrup.

INGREDIENTS

·     1 lb. kataifi dough (shredded phyllo dough)

·     1 lb. chopped walnuts

·     1/2 cup sugar

·     1 tsp. cinnamon

·     1/2 tsp. ground cloves

·     1 lb. vegetable butter or margarine

Syrup:

·     1/2 lb. honey

·     3 cups sugar

·     3 cups water

·     2 tbs lemon juice

Directions

In a large bowl, mix the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Melt the butter. Brush the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan with melted butter. Open the kantaifi dough, divide into 5 parts. Take one part, loosen the dough and fluff. Spread on bottom of pan. Sprinkle with walnut mixture. Repeat this three more times. Spread kataifi on top. Pour butter with a spoon evenly over whole pan. Cut into pieces. Sprinkle a few drops of cold water on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes until golden light brown. Let cool for 10 minutes. Slowly pour hot syrup over the kataifi letting it soak in before pouring more. Cover tightly.

Syrup preparation

Combine all ingredients and boil gently for about 15 or 20 minutes.

Source: From Bruce and Helen's recipes

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to make my own kantaifi. I got this from Zorbas Bakeries and it was delicious!